Graphics Cards Guide

The GeCube GC-X1800XTD-VIE3 (to be continued)

The GeCube GC-X1800XTD-VIE3

Most of the Radeon X1800 XT cards that we have seen are built by ATI, hence they follow the standard reference design down to a T. This is quite common in the graphics scene, with the same scenario happening with NVIDIA graphics cards. However while most vendors made an effort to conceal the usually bland reference design with their own decals and branding, GeCube has presented its Radeon X1800 XT 512MB card as it is. That is, there are no decals or any form of branding on the card itself. The only indication that it is a GeCube product is a small, cryptic model name pasted at the back of the card. Therefore, ATI's mascot, Ruby stares proudly from the plastic shroud of the cooler.

Like all the cards following the standard design, the GeCube GC-X1800XTD-VIE3 can be quite noisy, which is probably the biggest drawback of the Radeon X1800 XT. To be fair, this is not the fault of GeCube as we doubt they had the time to come up with a better heatsink and cooler design. Hopefully we may see GeCube's own heat pipe hybrid cooler in a later version but don't bet on it. For now, if you intend to get a Radeon X1800 XT, the GeCube is as standard as you can get. For your information, GeCube has an Extreme version that is overclocked out of the box so if you need the extra speed, that's another card to consider.

This standard design extends to the clock speeds as the GeCube clocks in at 625MHz for the core and 1500MHz DDR for its memory. Compared to some of the overclocked editions of the Radeon X1800 XT that we have seen, the GeCube seems rather conservative, especially since we found that the card was actually fairly decent at overclocking. Other typical features that you can expect to find are the dual DVI-I connectors, which complements the AVIVO technology present in the new Radeons. The GeCube also has VIVO (Video-In, Video-Out) functionality thanks to the onboard Rage Theatre ASIC.

GeCube has never been one to pile on the extras when it comes to its product bundles and this applies even for its expensive high-end Radeon X1800 XT. The accessories are complete and adequate for almost any user but the software and games are a bit light compared to its rivals. There is a DVD playback application from CyberLink but instead of the newer version 6.0 that some vendors have been shipping, GeCube is still retaining the older version 5.0. Similarly, the single game included, Delta Force Extreme is a budget version of a decent but old first-person shooter and despite been released last year, it pales in comparison to many modern shooters.